ASHEVILLE – It’s 2022 for Korean hot dogs and ghost kitchens.
Mortadella, diverse food halls and donuts designed by artificial intelligence are what diners are looking for right now, according to international food and restaurant consultancy Baum+Whiteman.
Baum+Whiteman has released its annual food trends report, predicting that diners and the service industry may see more in 2023.
In 2022, Baum+Whiteman predicts more ghost kitchens will open in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, while Korean-style hot dogs with crispy skin, cornmeal coating, deep frying and unique toppings will find their way onto more American menus.
This year, industry experts have seen shifts in the way people eat and how corporate restaurants operate, bringing back the age-old Japanese technique of dry aging and furthering automation to replace human labor.
Plus, crema is on the rise and pistachios have been named “Nut of the Year.”
Asheville may not be aligned with some of these trends, but for others, the local service industry keeps up with what diners want and how best to deliver them.
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Here are some of Baum+Whiteman’s food trend predictions for 2023 and where to experience them in Asheville.
Dishes, restaurants designed by artificial intelligence
The future of food may be artificially engineered.
Baum+Whiteman notes that a technologist in Israel has developed an AI image generator that can create pictures of dishes based on verbal instructions. In one example, the generator depicts elaborate, intricate donuts that blend the line between fantasy and reality to look more like they’re in an art museum.
Additionally, AI as a data-driven manager may become more prevalent in restaurant operations.
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Baum+Whiteman says computer programs are being designed to take on responsibilities such as assessing weekly performance, creating efficient plans for shifts and line tasks, and making menu recommendations based on trend lines.
Some corporate restaurants have already adopted or are testing automation in their kitchens, restaurants and delivery services, further reducing human labor. Some of the companies using and/or testing AI and robotics are Sweetgreen (two fully automated production/assembly lines due in 2023), Little Caesar’s (pizza-making robots), McDonald’s (automatic drive-thru), White Castle and CaliBurger (a flipping burger robot), according to Webstaurantstore.com) and Starbucks (an AI-enabled coffee machine).
Resist the robots for good old fashioned customer service and real handmade donuts.
In addition to the basic donuts still designed by Ashevilleans, some of the local stores include Hole Donuts, Stay Glazed… Donuts and Vortex Donuts.
Mortadella, aka “Fancy Italian Bologna”
Mortadella, cooked cured pork from Bologna, Italy, is expected to show up more in delis, pizza, sandwiches and other recipes.
Taste charcuterie at a local restaurant.
Loretta’s Café offers an Italian stallion sandwich, which includes mortadella.
Simple is a café and juice bar that serves breakfast sandwiches with grilled Italian sausage or avocado.
South Slope Cheese Co. sells a package of sliced mortadella with pistachios in its retail store.
dried fish
Some American chefs are opting to dry-age the fish using an ancient Japanese technique that involves hanging the fish on racks for tomahawk rib steaks. According to Baum+Whiteman, the method is used to solidify texture, concentrate flavor, remove fishy notes, add umami, and give it a “crunchy” crust.
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While you wait for the dry-cooked fish movement to hit Asheville, visit local restaurants and seafood markets for fresh fish such as Oyster House Brewing Company and Mother Ocean Seafood Market.
Private clubs
Membership in “ultra-luxury” private clubs, which include dining experiences, is on the rise. The forecast refers to membership clubs with lavish expenses in the one-thousand and one-hundred-thousand-dollar range.
Save a few bucks and visit Supper Park Supper Club, a membership-only, community-focused restaurant in Asheville’s River Arts District where guests pay-per-dinner, but at least one diner must be an Asheville resident.
Other options for exclusive yet affordable dining experiences are to attend ticketed pop-ups and dine-in events presented by Asheville chefs and restaurants.
canteen
The food court renaissance has made the dining concept so popular that the market may be becoming saturated, but Baum+Whiteman sees a shift in the industry on the horizon. The advisory group predicts food halls will open with ethnic-specific vendors. Additionally, food court entrepreneurs and landlords may see new opportunities as social hubs that offer entertainment, such as live music, dancing, movie nights and sports viewing parties. Or, the food court might add to the offerings of “grocery” vendors selling fresh seafood, specialty sausages and ethnic baked goods.
S&W Market, a downtown Asheville food court that recently opened Mikasa Criolla, a Peruvian fusion restaurant, and soon-to-open Gourmand, a French restaurant with a charcuterie and cheese shop and bar, is expanding its offerings. S&W Market It’s also a venue for events and entertainment such as musical drag queen bingo nights at Highland Brewing and cocktail socials at The Times Bar.
View Baum+Whitehead’s full Food Trends Report at baumwhiteman.com.
Tiana Kennell is a food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter/Instagram @PrincessOfPage.Please help support this type of journalism subscription to Citizen Times.
